Cramer's Mad Money - The Best Way To Play The Mexican Revival (12/5/12)

The Best Way to Play the Mexican Revival: Kansas City Southern (NYSE:KSU). Other stock mentioned: Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP), Nordic American Tanker (NYSE:NAT)

While most of the world is facing major economic problems, Mexico is surging. The Mexican GDP is rising at a higher rate than that of the U.S., and Mexican manufacturing and auto sales are strong. Since wages are low in Mexico, the country is the cheapest place to build auto plants and to have cars transported by rail. Cramer's favorite rail play is now Kansas City Southern (KSU), which is not as levered to the ailing coal industry as other rails. While the stock has seen a 300% return in 3 years, it is up only 14% for the year.

KSU has a large intercontinental rail, and bought a Mexican rail network. The Mexican auto business has grown 31% in the last quarter and expects to see continued double digit growth. KSU serves 9 auto plants in Mexico, and this number should increase as Mexico revs up auto production and new plants are built. KSU also transports fuel from the Bakken, because there aren't enough pipelines to transport oil and gas. Cramer thinks The Street's estimates are too low, and the stock could rise 24% higher. The company has a multiple of 18.9 with a 16% growth rate. This might seem expensive compared to Union Pacific's multiple of 12 and its 14% growth rate, but Cramer thinks it is worth paying a premium for KSU. While the dividend is only 1%, the company has enough cash to make a dividend hike a possibility. Cramer would buy KSU aggressively into weakness.

Cramer took a call:

Nordic American Tanker (NAT) is a stock Cramer used to recommend, but now there are too many ships being built and rates can't be raised. "Expect many more bad quarters." Cramer would stay away.

With a stalemate on how to solve the fiscal cliff, it is easy to be gloomy right now, but some stocks are worth buying. Starbucks (SBUX) held an investment conference during which it discussed aggressive expansion, particularly in Asia. Analysts' questions were downbeat, but Cramer believes in CEO Howard Schultz.

Apple (AAPL) saw one of its largest one-day declines in ages, but it isn't because anything is wrong with the company or its products. Cramer thinks investors are selling it to avoid the possible increase in capital gains at the beginning of the year. Cramer would buy the stock down and hold it.

Citigroup's (C) new management is making painful decisions, like laying off 11,000 workers. While this is bad for employees, it is good news for shareholders. Citigroup's stock rose 6.3% on the decision. Bank of America (BAC) was a leader of the Dow on Wednesday, reaching the level of $10 it hasn't seen for a long time. While BAC management has made some poor decisions, Cramer thinks it can go higher.

Cramer took some calls:

Windstream (WIN) is a stock that is worrying a lot of people. Cramer thinks it isn't worth the risk.

Nokia (NOK) might go up slightly, but Cramer doesn't see any reason to own it; "Nokia is just going to be an afterthought in the world that is smartphones."

St Jude Medical (STJ) has been crushed. Cramer thinks the fundamentals are not good enough to consider buying, even with a buyback.

Cramer thinks that KeyCorp (KEY) has been a terrible stock, but it just might be worth buying. He compared it to the performance of sovereign bonds in the heat of the European crisis; those who bought these bonds may have made a "once in a lifetime" investment. Banco Santander (SAN) stumbled to $4 this summer, and was "left for dead," but has since seen a rise to $7 and might go higher. While Cramer doesn't know when the turn will occur with KEY, it might be a Banco Santander scenario. While the bank sector has been weak, KEY is the way to play a possible turn in the sector.

Weingarten Realty (WRI) is a REIT that rents shopping mall space to retailers, and has a highly diversified list of leading retailers as tenants. Most of the tenants are fairly "internet resistant," and include supermarkets, beauty salons and pet stores. The occupancy rate is currently at 93.6%, and the REIT's properties are mainly in the Sunbelt and the Southwest, areas seeing a resurgence in growth. The company sold off its industrial segment to reduce its leverage and to focus on retail properties. Cramer thinks WRI is "one of the best" REITs.

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